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The City of Topeka says the three Sumatran Tiger cubs born at the Topeka Zoo on Sunday are doing great.

Tuesday morning, the cubs had their first neonate exam. “We needed to make sure the den box was clean and wanted to check for placental remains,” Staff Veterinarian Shirley Llizo said. “The exam also allowed us to confirm that they are at the correct weight.”

While excited about how the cubs are doing, staff is aware that the cubs are not out of the woods. “The first two weeks are crucial,” Llizo said. When Jingga was a cub, she experienced a period where she was not gaining weight fast enough and needed nutritional supplements. “We will continue to closely monitor all aspects of their health, including their weight,” Llizo said.

The exam went quickly and well. During the exam, Jingga was very calm. She shifted two dens over and had breakfast. Once the exam was finished, she immediately returned to her cubs.

The exam also included treating each cub’s umbilicus with an antiseptic, and each cub had a small patch of fur shaved so that the cubs can be identified separately. Their genders are still unknown.

Staff at the Topeka Zoo have declared all Tuesdays for the foreseeable future as “Tiger Tuesdays” and will post updates and new pictures on the Zoo’s Facebook page each Tuesday about the cubs. See the updates at www.facebook.com/topekazoo.